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Collection of data is all well and good, but improvement in patient outcomes requires the ability to turn information into action. The AQI Practice Quality Improvement Committee (PQIC) will collect and present examples of this principle so that all of us can learn from those who are doing it well. Learn more about quality improvement at www.aqihq.org/quality.aspx.

On October 14, 2016, the Department of Health and Human Services released its final rule implementing the Quality Payment Program (QPP) as part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). The QPP, which begins on January 1, 2017, replaces the Sustainable Growth Rate formula with a new payment methodology where clinicians are rewarded for delivering high-quality care. The Final Rule contains significant changes from the Proposed Rule, which was released in April 2016. Through these changes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has demonstrated its willingness to both listen and respond to clinician concerns over the new payment system. The purpose of this article is to review the basics of the QPP and describe the changes contained within the Final Rule.